World's Largest Quilt Taking Shape

Minot (N.D.) Daily News
Sunday, Oct. 12, 1986
By Eloise Ogden
Daily News Staff Writer

Leona Tennyson is helping North Dakota shoot for a world record.

The Antler resident is executive director for the Citizens Centennial Quilt Project to make the r world's largest quilt for the state's centennial in 1989.

"We want the citizens to take part in doing this. It’s a state of North Dakota quilt project," said Tennyson.

Each of the 1,360 townships in North Dakota's 52 counties has been invited to make a block for the quilt, which when completed will measure more than 70 by 100 feet, said Tennyson.

"This will beat the Guinness Book of World Records," she said. A Belgian quilt of 69.6 by 99.5 feet is listed as the world record.

Each county has been designated a color and each county has bought the materials, said Tennyson. The top of the quilt will be made of 100 percent cotton, the filling of light weight cotton batting and the bottom layer of perma-press muslin.

A chairman has been appointed for each township. "And that person sees that block marked off," said Tennyson. "And we've asked each one in the township to put something in. This way we try to implicate everyone.

Tennyson, an insurance agent and Tri-Chem textile paints instructor and dealer, was asked to head the project by R. Smith Kiliper, who was involved in the quilt making plan with Gov. George Sinner and S. F. "Buckshot" Hoffner, executive director of the state centennial.

Each section in the township has to be marked off in four-inch squares. Tennyson urges township people to note points of interest on their blocks - old and new churches, schools, the railroad, rivers - and other interesting facts such as agricultural crops.

The plans are to complete the quilt in 1988. The quilt will be displayed at the capitol in Bismarck.

The ladies from Glenfield and Glenfield Township that worked on North Dakota were Mrs. Darold (Evelyn) Anderson and Mrs. Dorothy Edland. They did the research and put the information to be used on the paper pattern. Mrs. Harland (Doris) Erickson drew and painted the design on the pink fabric township block. Mrs. Walfred (Irene) Johnson did the quilting; she also joined the McHenry, Florence and Rolling Prairie blocks to the Glenfield block. Mrs. Mercedes Gader attended the meetings.

The art of quilting, still popular today, has bee, Practiced for thousands of years. Soldiers of the Middle Ages wore quilted coats and hoods under their armor.

Source: Glenfield History 1886 – 1987 Page 21